St. Expeditus: Patron Saint of Speedy Causes

-
Image
St. Expeditus:  Patron Saint of Speedy Causes The venerated image of St. Expeditus in  the Lipa Cathedral In the Metropolitan Cathedral of St. Sebastian in Lipa City is a venerated image of a young Roman Centurion saint named Expeditus. Every month of April, a nine day novena in his honor is held in the cathedral that culminates in the celebration of his feast day on the 19th of the month. Who is this saint whose intercession was also invoked in the Oratio Imperata  to avert a catastrophic eruption of Taal Volcano prepared by the Archdiocese of Lipa when the volcano exhibited extra-ordinary activity early  in January, 2020?  St. Expeditus could have found affinity with the Lipenos since the martyr shares a lot of commonality with St. Sebastian, the city’s patron. St. Expeditus, like St. Sebastian was also a young Roman soldier who converted to Christianity and was also martyred as a consequence, during the period of Diocletian persecution.  Hence, a devo...
Post a Comment

Homilies and Reflections: May 3, 2020, 4th Sunday of Easter / Good Shepherd Sunday (Cycle A) - Filipino

-

Mayo 03, 2020, Ika-4 na Linggo sa Panahon ng Muling Pagkabuhay / Linggo ng Mabuting Pastol, Pandaigdigang Pananalangin para sa Bokasyon

Pagninilay sa Mabuting Balita ayon kay San Juan 10: 1-10

Kaya't muling sinabi ni Hesus, "Tandaan ninyo: ako ang pintuang dinaraanan ng mga tupa... Ako ang pintuan. Ang sinumang pumasok sa pamamagitan ko'y maliligtas"

Punong puno na naman ng imahe at larawan ang ating mabuting balita ngayong ipinagdiriwang natin ang Linggo ng Mabuting Pastol kaalinsabay din ang paggunita sa pandaigdigang araw ng pananalangin para sa bokasyon.  

Dalawa ang nangibabaw na larawan sa aking pagninilay sa Mabuting Balita sa Linggong ito. Yaong pastol, ang Mabuting Pastol na walang iba kung hindi si Hesus at ang pintuan, na ginamit din ni Hesus na larawan para tukuyin ang kanyang sarili.  Napakahalaga ng pintuan.  Noong unang panahon, ang mga kaharian, sinisiguro nilang hindi mapapasok ang kanilang palasyo ng mga kalaban sa pamamagitan ng pagpapalibot dito sa mataas at makapal na bakod na bato.  At sympre, ang pinto nito ay kanilang pinapatibay at binabantayan sa pagkat ito ang unang lulusubin at aatakihin ng mga kalaban.  Pag bumagsak ang pinto, pag napasok ang pinto, malaking peligro na ito para sa kaharian. Maaring kasunod na ang pagbagsak ng buong kaharian. Ganoon din sa mga bahay, nilalagyan natin ng maraming lock ang ating pintuan para masiguro ang ating kaligtasan, na hindi mapapasok ang ating bahay ng mga masasamang loob.

Ngayong panahong ito ng Enhanced Community Quarantine, maari nating maisalarawan ang ating mga sarili na para tayong mga tupang nakakulong sa ating mga tahana. Relate na relate tayo sa karanasan ng mga tupa sa mabuting balita.  Magandang pagnilayan at itanong, matibay ba ang ating pintuan? Sino ang nagbabantay ng pinto ng ating "kulungan"? Sa Mabuting Pastol ba natin ipinagkakatiwala ang kaligtasan ng ating tahanan kasama ang ating buong sambahayan sampu ng ating mga mahal sa buhay?

Kapatid, hindi ka "ikinukulong" ng Mabutin Pastol sa mga panahong ito upang pahirapan at parusahan. "Ikinukulong" ka upang ikaw ay alagaan Niya at protektahan. Upang paglipas ng kahabaan ng kadilimang ito, pagsapit ng bagong umaga, ikaw ay lalabas sa "pintuan" ng iyong tahanan na mas malakas at mas matibay.  Mas umaasa at nagtitiwala sapagkat ikaw ay iningatan at pinuno ng pagmamahal ng Mabuting Pastol sa kadilimin at kahabaan ng gabi.

Harinawa, bagama't nahihirapan ka ngayon at naiinip, hindi makalabas at makapaghanap-buhay, katulad ng ating salmista, iyo ring maawit "Pastol ko'y Panginoong Diyos, hindi ako magdarahop." Amen.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Laureana "Ka Luring" Franco: The Holy Catechist of Manila

-
Image
Laureana "Ka Luring" Franco: The Holy Catechist of Manila Ka Luring Franco (1936 - 2011) God indeed reveals Himself to the humble in the lowliest of disguises. And Ka Luring was sensitive to that fact - she found God and recognized Him revealing Himself in the faces of the the little children she so loved catechizing and the poor she so selflessly helped and served; that she herself became a reflection of that God she found among God's poor, which she so perfectly radiated with stunning simplicity and overflowing joy. Laureana Franco gave up her job in a government office in order to pursue her true calling and first love, the teaching of catechism to children. From then on, Ka Luring spent the rest of her years pursuing in what for her, was her real vocation and mission in life – that of being a catechist.  She has earned the title, "The Legendary Catechist of the Archdiocese of Manila” because of her commitment to the ministry of catechizing children. She knew so ...
Read more

Lipa City: The Little Rome of the Philippines

-
Image
Lipa Cathedral interior I was born and grew up in a city where it is not uncommon to see nuns garbed in habits of various shades of blue, grey, brown and white and seminarians and religious brothers garbed in their cassocks, clerical shirts or religious habit, in any given day, attending church services in the different churches, shrines and monasteries in the city and its outskirts. On Sundays, all churches are full to capacity of people coming from all walks of life fulfilling their Sunday obligation. On a typical Wednesday, the Redemptorist shrine of Divino Amor welcomes throngs of devotees of Our Lady of Perpetual Help coming from different places. Every 12th of the month, there is a penitential procession from the Cathedral going to Carmel and there are also liturgical activities in Carmel every first Saturday of the month dedicated to the Blessed Mother. Welcome to the city of my birth, Lipa City, the "Little Rome of the Philippines." With its elevation of 1,025 feet ab...
Read more

Popular Religiosity and Festivals: And They Danced with Joy before the Lord: The Subli Festival of Bauan, Batangas

-
Image
More than a dance form, Subli is a religous ritual that venerates the Holy Cross Dance has always been an essential component of worship of people of various religious and cultural traditions. Man of times past up to the present, uses a variety of movements of his body – hands, hips, arms, legs and head in rhythmic successions and  combinations as a form of prayer, to express worship and reverence to God. In the historic town of Bauan, Batangas exists a traditional religious dance form called the “subli” which people perform to venerate the santo patron – the Mahal na Poong Santa Cruz . The ceremonial worship dance is usually presented during the town’s fiesta which is traditionally held every May 3.  It has also been tradionally practiced that every May 1 and 2 each year, the towns of Alitagtag and Bauan celebrate the Anubing Sublian Festival to pay homage and reverence to the Mahal na Poong Sta. Cruz .  The festival highlights the dancing of the Subli.  Short ...
Read more